My Colors Fade to Grey
by CodeLyoko
Summary: For a Greeed, the passage of time was never felt. How long had it been since he was in the company of those he once knew? Now, sitting in a renovated Cous Coussier, Ankh could only observe those around him. His Cores have never felt so cold and now the long years were beginning to press down around him.
1. Time Passes so Slowly

I apologize, I had meant to get this out on New Year's believe it or not! I hope there are no errors in this; I presented this to many people but never got responses for beta'ing, so I apologize again! Luckily chapter two is always completely done and I wrote a bit of chapter three, the final one, as well! So I guess my new rule is I should have one chapter written before I post the previous one haha. At least that way I won't be as lazy as I am now. Enjoy a tiny bit of foreshadowing and symbolism near the end! _  
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His Core Medals have never felt cold in the entirety of his existence, even when sealed away. A bird was always warm, and his heat radiated like an inferno, searing hot to all those except a few select few. A certain idiot always found it comforting, leeching it away when the cold months came and passed. But that was long ago. Now his inner fire had died down to simmering coals, having grown dimmer as the years progressed alone.

Color seemed to be distorted when the Greeed opened his eyes. He blinked once, twice, confusion settling over his senses before his vision was restored. This happened more often now, when his thoughts drifted away from this world. Why was it that his senses were failing when he wasn't focusing? It was as if he was reverting to before, when he hadn't been fully revived nor possessing a human.

The way his senses distorted into nothing only to snap back to normal never made sense, something the Greeed just couldn't wrap his mind around. His medals, a few of them only slightly heavier than the others, never felt as if they were in danger of cracking or disintegrating. Only then would he have felt as if he had been unraveling, so similar to when his main core had cracked. Unconsciously, Ankh's right hand lifted and pressed firmly against his chest, feeling the nine medals shiver inside of him. It was a reminder that he was here… he was here and all alone.

"Chiyo! We need dessert for tables three and five." A female voice broke his train of thought, jerking back against the chair he had been slumped in. Female… Tilting his head to one side, he spied a rather short girl peering into the kitchen.

"I know I know! Please tell me you didn't break the extra plates last night." The girl frowned, glancing behind her to make sure no one was listening before she leaned closer to whisper a denial. Ankh almost snorted. It was easy to eavesdrop on them when he really wanted to, although he did have better hearing than the humans around him.

"Hey, I don't have my great grandma's strength, nor my father's clumsiness. Kazou's the one who washed the dishes last night, so if anything, it's my cousin's fault." She hissed at him grumpily. Chiyo walked out to the girl and offered her a pair of plates topped with something that smelled super sweet. Ankh's nose twitched at the scent, shifting in his seat.

"Chill Ayane, I know, I love teasing you. Tell Kazou he can leave early tonight, I know he has studying to do to get into the police academy. You have tomorrow off so you can continue with your fashion stuff." Ayana rolled her eyes as she turned, only to stop when she realized that someone was staring at her. Ankh frowned when their eyes met and held their gaze. The girl smiled and tilted her head before she leaned back towards Chiyo, whispering something that Ankh couldn't hear. Making an annoyed noise deep within his throat, he slumped further into his seat.

Chiyo, Ayane, Kazou… Chiyoko, Hina, Shingo… It almost could be amusing how their descendants were still living near each other, never moving and were so close. The avian's feathers ruffled and his fist clenched. It was the only reason why he had came back only a few times in the past years. Ever since the death of the humans he knew, he had left, flying everywhere and anywhere in the world to satisfy the hole in his chest. Chiyoko had been the last one, able to help name her great grandson Chiyo and watch him grow until he was five before she passed.

' _Aw, he looks like a little Chiyoko himself.'_

The origin of his name was amusing and the young man kept the traditions of the restaurant alive in honor of her. The small grin that appeared on his face quickly vanished. Eiji had been the first. He had never been apart from Ankh even after all those years – other than the time when he had shoved him through that wormhole - and the sudden departure had shocked him. Hina, Chiyoko, and Shingo had all consoled him, keeping their families together and including him on everything regardless of whether he wanted to or not. It had been the only thing that had kept him going. No matter how much he fussed over their constant get-togethers, he never could say no. Their kids he had all watched grow, the only ones who knew who he was and called him 'the bird king' when they were small.

The brats.

Again he grunted, ignoring how a couple looked his way in curiosity. Their children however barely knew him, only hearing stories about their 'bird uncle'. And now with their kids… Movement caught his eyes and he watched as a rather clumsy boy ran here and there, cleaning up dishes from tables and passing out menus. Kazou. Another hopeful cop in Shingo's line, how predictable. Ankh had come back a few times in their lifetime, yet during those times, he had stayed a while. Once was when they were born, again when they were young, he was there when their grandparents died, and again when they all had graduated. He may have visited perhaps close to ten times in all, and now would be the last time, yet they didn't know it.

Sometimes, he could simply lean back against the chair and attempt to trick himself into thinking that it was the idiots from all those years ago making playful banters, their voices coming back and replacing those who were speaking. A twinge of sadness stabbed his heart, his lips drawing tight across his face. It was a rare time when he could still hear their voices; many times his memory frayed and lost what they sounded like. It never failed to make him, who was once King of Birds, to panic. When those moments came, he never hesitated in reaching for the new phone that was gifted to him when the previous one fell out of style. On it was a voiceclip of Eiji, one of the only things that made the transfer from phone to phone. Something he treasured above all others. When he listened to it, then he was able to remember those times, their voices, their faces…

Ankh's eyes closed, his nose burrowing into the old scarf of Eiji's he still wore. The scent was long gone, but the familiar texture and eye-blinding color was comforting.

 _The bird Greeed shoved the phone into Eiji's face with a serious look. The Rider stared at the black screen before he tilted his head up, dumbfounded on what his partner was trying to do. His phone wasn't broken, at least that's what he thought._

" _Ankh?" Eiji asked, taking the phone and turning it over in his hands, as if inspecting for damage. Although the bird was quite meticulous with his few belongings, one could never be certain with him. Ankh was silent, staring down at the human. The more he did, the more he realized that time didn't stand still as it did for him. All of them were getting older, both in mind and in body. It terrified the Greeed, much more so than when he was absorbed by his other self. The fact that those around him will leave him one day, unable to be brought back by repairing medals, began to hit him hard. He turned away, leaning against his nest._

" _Leave a voice message for me." Ankh said, scoffing as if it was the most obvious thing to do. The fact that he couldn't look Eiji in the face told the other all he needed, his lips twisting into a sad smile before it brightened up. Standing up, the brown haired boy walked towards his avian partner, never giving the other time as he wrapped his arms around him. Ankh stiffened at the sudden embrace before he huffed. The way Eiji's fingers tightened on his jacket was as if he wouldn't ever let go. It was soothing, calming, comforting, yet the apprehension still lingered in the back of his mind despite it._

" _Idiot…" he muttered, eyes flickering away once more._

" _I'm your idiot~" Eiji teased, pecking the bird's lips before he went to sit back down on his bed. With a big smile, he hit the button and began to talk, proudly noticing how Ankh's eyes softened ever so slightly._

Something was set down before him and his eyes immediately snapped open, going to glare at who dared approach him only to find… Chiyo smiled down at him, nodding down to the food. He glanced down at it, finding the lack of poultry satisfying, yet was about to knock the plate away; he never was one to really eat food like humans, not since long ago. However, something made him freeze, arm half-raised to follow through on the action. Near the sliced beef and various food from this week's theme was something that brought him back. Two fried buns lay side by side.

"I… I thought you would have liked those. Even though they don't match the theme this week. I know my great-grandma said you liked eating them with someone and ... well you looked sad." Chiyo looked like he was torn between wanting to comfort him or take away the plate and disappear. It was still difficult to deal with Ankh, due to not knowing how he would react, but he was determined to try. That and the last time he mentioned the man 'Eiji', Ankh had reacted quite poorly and had left them for quite a few years. He fell silent as the Greeed reached out and picked one up.

Chiyo stood as still as possible, eyes darting back and forth between the bun and Ankh, as if by moving even slightly would cause the other to throw the food on the ground and leave. It had happened before, twice including mentioning Eiji. The other time he had left for maybe a few hours. Breath rushed out of him all at once in a sigh of relief as the Greeed bit into it, witnessing how his shoulders sagged and eyes drifted downwards to the rest of the food. The boy's lips curled into a smile, considering it a small victory before he went back to the kitchen.

' _Stupid boy…'_ Ankh mentally grumbled to himself, hating how he had relented in eating the bun. He hated how the very food he was eating would bring up memories, ones that caused him pain to remember. It was when the loneliness would crash into him, reminding him once more of the man he had lost. The soft crust of the food blossomed within his mouth, briefly pausing to savor it before he quickly swallowed and dropped the rest of it onto the plate. His nose wrinkled, overpowered by the food around him.

Once upon a time he would have desired to eat everything, overwhelmed by the different tastes and textures upon his new tastebuds, nose overpowered by succulent scents. Now it was just a reminder of what he had lost. He pushed the plate away with one finger, his arm shifting from human to Greeed before it returned to normal. An itch formed beneath his skin, one he couldn't possibly get rid of. Slowly it began to travel up his arm and then down his spine.

He was getting restless and irritable the more time dragged on.

Abruptly, Ankh stood up, pushing his chair behind him as he stalked towards the door, abandoning the table and the food. Food couldn't interest him. A flash of color, faces he once knew, was all that mattered, set on the small bookshelf that resided next to the door. As his feet drew him closer, he ignored everything around him. Eiji, Hina, Shingo, Chiyoko. The four stared back at him, warm eyes and smiling faces. Nostalgia washed over him, threatening to break down the walls of reality and drag him back into memories that were hazy.

The sound of the front door being thrown open instantly set him into motion.

Jerking back to avoid a collision, he gazed down upon the dark-haired idiot who had a surprised look on his face. Ankh was about to snap at him when he noticed… Eiji's face was staring back at him. His heart clenched, only for the boy to blink. The illusion was ruined and a boy, younger than Eiji when they first met, stared back at him with surprisingly deep forest green eyes.

"Oh, sorry! I didn't realize someone was just inside the door!" It wasn't him, but for a split second, it could have. It could have been that clumsy, stupid, irritating but always useful fool. His fool, his human, his Eiji.

But it never was, god it never was him.

With a glare and a downwards twist of his lips, Ankh turned back to the picture, efficiently ending any continuation of the one-sided conversation. Lucky for him, this idiot seemed to be too confused at such a swift dismissal to even attempt to talk to him again. Floundering for a while gawking at the strangely dressed man – seriously, what was up with the black jacket that had one red sleeve, crimson pants, and that strange hairstyle? – the boy ended up finally moving past him.

Those emerald eyes lit up when they spotted Chiyo heading out from the kitchen with a receipt.

"Hey, Chiyo, who – "

"Oh my god, Taru! When did you get back? You should have told me you were landed back here." Chiyo would have tackled the other boy if the restaurant had been closed. Nearly bouncing on the balls of his feet, he practically pulled the other, backpack and all, into a huge hug. The loud clamor drew Kanzou and Ayane over, who immediately joined the embrace, laughing and each trying to talk over the other. Ankh twitched slightly where he stood, refusing to let his eyes wander over to them. The laughter, the smiles that no doubt shone on their faces, it was too familiar… too painful.

He should have just left.

The world suddenly turned on its side, everything began to blur around him as voices distorted and colors faded away. On the photograph before him, their faces began to disappear as the entirety of its surface became fuzzy black and white. Ankh's breath hitched and he twitched backwards, eyes blinking rapidly to bring himself back to the present. The sudden ringing in his ears herald the return of the sound, so disorienting from the sudden silence that had settled around him. It had lasted for what seemed like minutes, but judging from the conversation the four were having, it couldn't have been more than twenty seconds.

Pain spread through his palms, nails having pressed crescent moon-shaped marks in the skin due to the sudden yet brief loss of his senses. For a moment he couldn't breathe, for a moment he felt as if he was floating in the sky, weightless, until everything crashed down again. The pain managed to ground him again, rooting him into the here and now.

Without a word, he ripped his eyes away from the picture and walked past the four young adults, bypassing them to enter the kitchen. Taru sputtered, mumbling to Chiyo why he allowed a stranger into the kitchen and again questioning the identity of the strange man. Ankh's lips twisted upwards, almost wanting to make a snarky remark before he bit his own tongue. Inside the freezer lay frozen meals and other such necessities, but what he sought was in the far back, nearly hidden from view.

Nearly hidden, but easily spotted with hawk vision. Ankh's hand darted in and snatched a plastic-wrapped ice candy, blue in color, and shut the door. Without even a glance at the four as they continued to watch him, he ripped the plastic off with ease and popped it in his mouth, the sweet and savory flavor calming him as memories resurfaced. These memories never hurt; the ice candy was a source of comfort these days than a treat, a buffer that allowed him to relax. It was probably why Chiyoko's family always kept a box of them around.

"Ankh?" The said bird's eyes darted over slightly, peering through several strands of loose fringe that had fallen into his line of vision. The question hadn't been directed towards him. The newcomer – what was his name, Taru? – nodded. A soft melancholic look appeared on Chiyo's face.

"He's a long-time family friend. He arrived a month ago actually. We all haven't seen him in a few years. I think the most he's stayed with us was when we were children. All the times he visited, you were never around. Ankh's…. not that good with strangers to be honest." Taru's eyes scrunched up, scrutinizing Ankh, whose eyes settled into an annoyed glare at the look. The bird bristled at what Chiyo said and sent him a glare as well, lips curling into a snarl after he bit into the ice candy.

Strangers? Hah… He barely liked anyone even if they weren't strangers… Sure there were a few exceptions, but he wasn't about to say that out loud.

"Were you childhood friends? I don't believe I ever recall seeing him." Ayane chuckled at Taru's response, shaking her head as her hands clasped together.

"He left long before you met us, Taru. He used to be close to our great-grandparents." Ayana's eyes widened and she slapped a hand over her mouth in shock. She had let loose a secret they had been keeping for a long time. She shrank down a few inches, eyes meeting the suddenly cool and eerily calm gaze of the Greeed. Kazou and Chiyo both nearly snapped their necks as they turned to stare at the girl. To say that out loud, that Ankh knew people around 100 years ago when he looked around their age would raise red flags.

It wasn't as if they didn't trust Taru, but they knew from Chiyo's great grandmother and their own grandparents that not everyone would be so understanding. After all, how would a normal human react to the fact that a Greeed, a monster made from desire and medals, still roamed the world after other Greeeds tried to destroy the world? That Ankh was older, much older than any of them. Taru's mouth opened and closed like a fish's, unable to comprehend what his friend had just spoken.

"W-wait? He knew Nana Chiyoko?" Ankh's eyebrows raised. Nana? He knew the other was motherly, but that strange nickname was just crossing the line. Before the disgust could crawl onto his features, he quickly bit down on the ice as the other continue.

"That can't be right. Okay, he could have met Nana, but Ayane, your and Kazou's great grandparents already passed away before you were born. Are you sure it wouldn't have been his parents or something? Heck, he resembles Kazou and Ayane's great-grandfather, so maybe he's on his side of the family?" The three looked at each other at a loss on what to say, they couldn't tell the truth since they had promised both Ankh and their families that yet… Sure the Greeed did look too similar to Shingo, but after hearing the stories, they understood why. It was one reason why they didn't put a certain picture that had Ankh in it near the door. The famous detective never had a twin brother.

Ankh had to hide a snort at the other's incredulously confused look. Parents? He never had parents, and honestly he wouldn't consider those arrogant mages who created them parents, ever. Even as Ankh had observed the familial roles in a household, he never felt a longing to have these 'parents' of him own. Upon viewing how incredibly confused this youngster looked, he could feel something welling up within him. For the first time in years, he felt like a hawk again, having locked his eyes on a rabbit that didn't know that there was a predator overhead ready to strike. Oh, he could have fun with this.

"How old are you?" Ankh sauntered closer, the ice candy half-eaten in his hands. He paused to lick a bead of the sweet melting ice before it could drip onto his hands – he hated having sticky skin after having one – and smirked. The classic how old are you question? With a predatory look in his eyes, Ankh leaned closer, almost yearning for the other to run away like a terrified little rabbit. Screw being secretive, he wanted to know how this boy would react.

It wasn't often when he felt like the old Ankh, the one whose tongue was sharp and didn't care if he caused trouble.

"I'm over 900 years old. Would you believe me if I said I was no human but a Greeed, a monster born out of desire and medals, one who was once ruled over the lands as the King of Birds? If I wanted to in this state, I could devour the entire world and you with it. If I so _desired_ ," Ankh nearly laughed as the word rolled off his tongue oh so pleasantly. Desire was something he could never get tired of, at least back when Eiji had been alive. There, desire had reigned supreme, warming him until he was as hot as the sun, "I could burn you to a crisp and I could also make a Yummy out of your one desire." Here Ankh trailed off, eyebrows furrowing suddenly. His desire… It was of the world… Of traveling, of being… of being free. Abruptly he pulled back. A desire like that, it was like Eiji's desire to help the world and reach his hand out to everyone he came across. No Yummy would benefit cell medals from that.

The worried looks coming from the three went unnoticed by him, having noted the sudden hardening of his eyes and stiffness that collapsed the grace of his movements.

But the desire of being free was something he knew too well. Even though he was free to soar, he never could truly be free, not until… Something burned in his pocket and his free hand trailed down to stroke it through the fabric. The calling only heightened and he could feel himself losing to it. The wind whispered his name and it was like he was floating in the air, soaring, diving, _flying_. Eyes that had fallen shut quickly snapped open before he could succumb to the red energy that threatened to consume him and lift him towards the kingdom he once. The tenth medal longed to be absorbed, powerful energy that was his and his alone swirling underneath the red and gold surface.

 _No, not yet._

The medal answered with another burst of energy that was invisible to all others except his own eyes. It burned his hands, scorched his senses with the scent of fire, ash, and… rain, the smell of rain that hung in the clouds above, the coolness of the air high up in the sky. Ankh's breath caught in his throat, almost choking at the overwhelming sensations before the energy subsided, its job done. Funny how a medal could have a mind of its own, the mind of the Bird King who wanted to return to his rightful place. He knew it wouldn't be too much longer until he succumbed.

"W-what?" It was almost embarrassing how high-pitched Taru's voice had come out, two octaves higher than normal. The hawk's eyes shifted from him to the other three humans, observing how wide eyed they were at him revealing his secretly so casually. Tch. It wasn't as if anyone would believe such a story, even one that was true. Humans were still so closed-minded even 100 years later. Pitiful. As far as their evolution went, their technology, it seemed they no longer believed strange things could happen.

A feeling of restless grew within him and he pushed past the four, only to stop once exiting the kitchen. He twirled the ice candy in his hands before he devoured the rest of it, tossing it into a trash can nearby. Fingers ached to hold onto something, yet even as they drifted towards the medal, he instead clenched them into fists.

"You… I want that picture." The way his voice sounded, the slight waver, Chiyo's brows furrowed. That picture? What pic- The boy's eyes widened with realization. _That_ picture! A quick glance to the shelf that held the one Ankh had previously been staring at for the past few minutes gave the boy understanding to why it was requested. There had been a reason why the original picture of the five originals was never shown anymore. Heck, he remembered seeing it until Nana died when he turned five. That was when his grandmother took the photo down and replaced it of the four without Ankh.

Only later did he understand why. Without those who had been with him back then, there would be questions on why the bird was still around. Chiyo's eyes saddened and he nodded, heading up to go and take the pictures. Ankh stared after him, longing to return to where his nest had remade a month ago. Yet even as the room remained the same, his nest would no longer be there. The red cloth was gone, a hint to all what he was planning to do if they bothered to notice. The little mementoes of those four idiots still lay scattered messily in the room, yet he was quite certain they would never be thrown away.

The three humans had too much respect for him and those who passed away to do such a thing. Funny, he was not used to others respecting him like that.

Taru was staring incredulously at him, quite annoying actually. He mumbled questions at the two cousins about Ankh, yet they skirted details, something Ankh was grateful for. He wasn't too keen on filling the boy – who he didn't even know or even _care_ to know – about his life story. No doubt the three would eventually let him in on a few things, but Ankh would be long gone by then… Long gone.

A creak in the stairs above heralded the return of Chiyo, who clutched two pictures in his hand, one framed while the other was not. Without saying a word, he slipped by the others, and Ankh himself, to rummage around in the freezer, pulling out something from a tiny black box in the freezer, something Ankh was surprised to have overlooked. Pushing away from the wall he had been leaning on, he took a step closer to Chiyo as he approached.

"I found this a few years ago up in the room and kept it in mine for a while. Apparently Nana placed the copy in a frame and preserved the original in an album to keep it safe." Chiyo handed the original to him, clutching the framed one to his chest. He knew that the picture belonged out here, next to the one that excluded Ankh. Regardless of the confusion and questions it would bring, Chiyo would be ready to risk it. After all, their families had considered him a part of the family, albeit estranged since his parents didn't really know him that well.

Ankh's eyes softened ever so slightly as his fingers curled delicately over the photo, as if he was afraid he would bend or damage it. It was carefully preserved, the color still bright and no blemishes or scratches could be seen. It was easy now to remember this moment, the memory flowing back to him easily and allowed the warmth to pool in his chest. He had been annoyed that day, hating to have to be dragged into 'human activities'. It never was like he didn't _secretly_ enjoy them at times – depending on what they were of course. He was never one to sit down for pictures, obvious by how Eiji and Hina had their arms around his shoulders while they were crouching near the restaurant's sign. Shingo and Chiyoko were next to them, a regular customer having taken the picture for them. He had only been grateful they hadn't been 'dressed up' that day. Something about Chiyoko saying it would be nice to have a normal picture that could last a lifetime.

The Greeed nearly snorted. A lifetime… Still, his eyes never lost their softness. This was a treasure he could never let go, just like Eiji's scarf. As he kept his eyes lowered to prevent them from seeing the longing in his eyes, Ankh slipped the picture into his jacket pocket. Before they could question him, or rather Taru ask who the heck he really was, the bird exited the door. The four would follow, he had no doubt about that. Three of them knew that when he walked out the door like that without saying anything, that he could possibly end up leaving…

"Ankh… You… you're not coming back, are you?" While Chiyo fought hard to let his voice waver, Ayane protested loudly, having to be quieted by her cousin. Only Taru remained silent, not understanding what was going on.

"Tch, what gave you that idea?" Chiyo's face fell at the response, eyes dropping to the ground. But why? Was it because of them? Or was it because… He closed his eyes, biting his lip. It was, wasn't it? Ankh's eyes were burning as the boy finally met his gaze, crimson bleeding into Ankh's dark irises. A smile lit Chiyo's lips and he nodded, surprising Ankh at his understanding.

"We'll miss you." The soft tone rooted Ankh to the spot, clenching his teeth together to prevent himself from speaking out. How many times had the aged trio spoken that when he left to roam the world after Eiji's death? The same sad and bittersweet choice of words. Swallowing the lump that had lodged in his throat, Ankh glanced to the side. Fingers tightened on the plastic-wrapped ice that had been obviously been hand-made by Chiyo. Even now, he could smell the cherry flavor, sweet and delicious, wafting up to him.

He hated goodbyes, he hated greetings. He _hated_ leaving. A hawk never liked to move from territory to territory, they claimed what was there and fought to protect it. Yet it had been too long, too long of being alone with this hole in his chest. Making it to a millennia would not be possible. He knew where to go, what to do. There was just one more thing left to do before he gave into the calling of becoming who he once had been.

The King of Birds.

A small chattery noise jolted him out of his musings, startling the kids behind him, who pointed to the blue bird that had landed on the stone fence surrounding Cous Coussier. It was a blue jay, one that seemed too far from home on another continent. Ankh's eyes narrowed at the strange appearance, yet he thought nothing of it as it chattered some more and then flew off. Flew off…

A flurry of curled red feathers filled the air, falling to the ground as a dazzling array of colors filled the air. Large wings flexed to their full length, reds, blues, greens, yellows, so many colors radiated from them. The gasps behind him caused him to pause, eyes darting to the source. Sure the three had known about his origins, yet he had forgotten they had only seen his wings once before. A smirk began to form on his lips, his eyes glowing red. But his Greeed form…. They've only seen his right arm.

Medals rippled across his form, his human guise falling away to reveal what he properly looked like. Fire filled his heart, having not taken this form in so long. It was like coming home. The gasps returned, and this time he turned to view them, wings fluttering besides him. Taru had fallen over, pointing at him with wide eyes. Ankh barked out a laugh that was wild and free, wings curving to show off their brilliant display of colors. The surprise and marvel on the other three's faces was almost comforting, only fueling the inferno that had begun to build within him, rekindling the coals that he once thought to have crumbled into ash.

"Ankh?" Kazou's voice was low and hesitant, yet the way he stepped forward with a smile…The tension drained away from Ankh's body. He should never have doubted how he would have reacted, especially if they knew about him from their grandparents and Chiyoko. The avian Greeed looked down upon them before his gaze returned to the sky which called out to him.

He _really hated_ goodbyes.

With one mighty stroke of his wings, Ankh leaped into the sky, the sun brightening the colors of his wings as he soared higher and higher until he vanished from the humans' view. He felt free, felt as if the burden that had weighed him down over the years was starting to lift and disappear as the wind joined his ascent.

Chiyo stood there for a few minutes, eyes straining to find the Greeed in the sky, to catch sight of those rainbowed wings. It was for naught; Ankh was gone. Movement to his side caught his eyes instead as Kazou bent down to pluck one of the feathers off the ground before the wind could carry it away. Ayane helped Taru up, the boy unable to properly process what had happened and what he had seen.

"We'll explain everything later Taru, it's a long story." She promised as they re-entered the restaurant. The girl quietly disappeared upstairs as Chiyo paused next to the bookshelf, a frown etched upon his lips. He was gone… Even though he should have been used to the feeling of the avian leaving every now and then, he had thought… he had thought Ankh could have stayed longer yet…

It was selfish, he knew. Ayane knew, Kazou knew. Yet the arrogant and difficult Ankh still had a special place in their heart. Despite his nature, they knew he cared. Chiyo was pretty sure he knew that they cared for him too, considered him family no matter how he would argue against it. The man named Eiji stared back at him, from the picture in his hands and from the one on the shelf. Chiyo couldn't imagine having lost someone he truly loved…

Heart and mind made up, the boy moved the picture over and set the original one where the previous had been. Ayane reappeared behind Chiyo, smiling as she held a silver-framed picture in her hands. Silently, she gave it to the boy, whose face broke out in a happy grin. There would be a lot of questions of why he was in two different pictures in two different eras but…

Chiyo situated the third frame next to the original. The three young adults' faces stared back at them with laughing smiles on their lips. Ankh was in the middle of them, sitting on a bench while a passerby had taken the picture of them. The bird looked annoyed, one hand draped across his knee that had been pulled up to his chest and was scowling, yet there was some spark in those eyes that Chiyo always thought was happiness. The three had crowded around them and held up peace signs.

It had only been two weeks since that picture.

Smiling, Kazou placed one of the red feathers next to the picture.

"Goodbye Ankh…"


	2. Mourning Dove

Why is it I like to torture my favorite characters so? I always toyed with the thought of Ankh being allowed on the Denliner again after what he did in that movie. Get ready for a bittersweet ending with the last chapter!

* * *

It wasn't hard to realize what day this was. The owner of the train had mentioned the date in passing after he had stared at him with a knowing look. Ankh knew why; the first and last time he had been on the Denliner, he had unintentionally caused the future to be changed. An annoyed sound escaped him as he remembered that although he honestly hadn't expected his actions to have changed the future, they managed to reset the timeline in the end.

A small breeze made the bird pause, tilting his head upwards to bathe in the coolness of it. Going into the past didn't feel different. It was like any other day. People were walking around the park, laughing, smiling, being with the ones they loved… The last part sent a dagger straight into his main core medal, flinching backwards despite himself and clutching where his core was in his chest. The one he loved, the one that had left him alone in a world that lost its color. Everything moved on, yet he hadn't… It was why he had _almost_ begged to be allowed this one trip. Almost being the key word. Ankh didn't beg.

A sense of dejavu hit the Greeed as he focused once more on where he was. It was strange, but it looked like this was the park they frequented a lot when Eiji had been alive. Ankh took a few steps, breathing in the scent that screamed of overwhelming familiarity. No, this was definitely the park, yet… His feet began to wander of their own accord, slipping beneath the trees that covered the park, for once not wanting to dart into the trees and lounge there like the bird he was.

"You're eating too much ice candies. This will be the fourth time I'm going back for more." That sound of exasperation, the still telltale fondness hidden deep in the tone of the person speaking... If Ankh had a heart, it would have skipped a beat; his main core imitated the action in a sudden shudder. The King of Birds didn't dare to move a muscle, as if doing so would blow his cover, that Eiji, wherever he was nearby would instantly notice him. In an attempt to not move, the bird only clenched the tenth medal in his pocket tighter, its overwhelming burning sensation warming his skin soothingly, calming his fluttering medals. Ankh's eyes closed.

"So? I still want more. I have over a half year's supply left from our promise." How eerie was it to hear himself talking when it wasn't actually him? How did that kid, Den-O, deal with it? It was too strange… A sigh of defeat trailed towards him and Ankh tilted his head, listening as Eiji walked away from his other self. He couldn't help himself as he leaned past the tree trunk he was hiding behind, moving a tree branch aside to peer past them. There on a stone wall, rather than on the low bench, was himself, perching as he always was. His medals radiated an intense heat suddenly at being in close contact with his own identical cores. At this moment Ankh was glad that Greeed's could not sense their own cores, yet why did his medals react like this? He only knew that the tenth medal was special, able to have sensed it once it had been removed from the special box Kougami had made for it. His fingers tightened on it, as if to shield it from being sensed.

Eiji had walked off already, yet he couldn't tear his eyes off his other self. The same face, eyes that didn't look as if they had seen far too many years without the most important person by his side. It only took a second for the other Ankh to stiffen, sitting up straight from where he had been hunched over. Ankh cursed in his mind at dawdling too long, withdrawing into the cover of the trees, but not before their eyes met briefly. Before he lost sight of his past self, he could see them widen in confusion and shock.

After backpedaling to a safe point where the other no long could detect where he went – positive that he would not follow as this memory played back in his mind - Ankh disappeared into the trees, making sure no humans saw him. Sneaking after Eiji made him feel like that damn cat Kazari, a thought that he regretted even thinking about. For a moment, only a moment, he briefly entertained the notion of how easy it would have been to float after him as an arm… His lips drew back in a grimace just as quickly as it crossed his mind.

It would have been easier, yes, as the tree could hide his form – as much as green can hide a floating red, green, yellow, and black hand – because they were so close together in this section. However the idea of becoming a simple limb as opposed to having a body that had no limitations caused him to involuntarily shiver.

Too long had it been since he had felt the emptiness and incompletion of being a simple arm. Once revived by Eiji, he had retained his complete form – no more having to float around as a disembodied arm or having to possess the detective. He had relished the fact that he was whole again. There had only been a few instances he had returned to his Greeed form as well; there were the times with helping Eiji around the world as they traveled together, grudgingly of course, as well as help him train the future Kamen Riders when the Undead were unsealed prematurely.

That was around the time he had been sent back to the past to help the Eiji of perhaps only a few years ago in this time. His lips tilted downwards. That had been too long ago. Eiji always had pestered him to help train them, although he had only showed up once or twice, always going off on his own. He only began to help after coming back from the past, after he knew about the boy who had once been afraid of water. Their three riders of 'elements' were a disorganized crew until they began working together, but Eiji was proud of them. Ankh huffed, that was the past; many of those riders were gone as well, and he had never bothered to see their successors. There was no point…

Once Eiji had been gone, there was no one who was around to use the OOO driver; Ankh didn't particularly like anyone else using the recovered cores or, especially, his own. It was hidden away, where no one could find it. Kamen Rider OOO would never see the light of day again.

"Ankh?"

Ankh couldn't help but jerk back at his name, nearly falling off the tree limb he had been perching on. His feathers ruffled as he regained his balance, eyes darting below him and then back to where Eiji had been. The young man was no longer at the ice cream cart buying his other self's treats. When had he dozed off into the memories that had begun to resurface? Usually his avian instincts prevented him from becoming so distracted but… His name was called again, a bit more concerned this time. His voice…

The fondness was still there, the softness of his tone and the way his eyes lit up at the sight of him. Ankh stared at him, eyes focused solely on him to the point where everything else faded to grey. To him, Eiji was the color in his life, the reason why he could have experienced all these senses to begin with, the reason why he _lived_. Despite the confusion that dwelled within those eyes, he looked all the same to him; no matter how old Eiji had grown, he never changed in his mind. His cores ached, feeling all too heavy in this human guise.

Below him, Eiji frowned slightly. It wasn't like Ankh to be so distracted like this. Not trusting himself to speak, the Greeed jumped down to land a few feet away from the OOO rider, lips tightly pressed in a neural line, nearly biting his tongue to keep from speaking.

"Ankh? I was bringing these back, you didn't need to follow…. Me….?" Eiji's voice trailed off as he noticed something peculiar about Ankh. The heat he normally could feel radiating from him when they were close, it was barely there. He looked defeated somewhat, his eyes losing their fierceness and… Ankh looked broken. Hesitantly, his eyes dropped to see what could have caused such a change; was he sick? Wait, Greeeds normally didn't get sick, but did something happen to the cores to cause a change in his avian partner!?

Eiji quietly began to panic; he couldn't let these long years of hard labor and research go to waste, he couldn't lose Ankh again! The Greeed was barely back for a few weeks, and there had been no indication that the medals they had restored were somehow deteriorating. The vagabond's thoughts crashed together in a halt when he spied what was wrapped loosely around the other's shoulders. Instantly Eiji's fingers trailed up to trace the same scarf that he was wearing. It was his favorite, the various orange colors clashing interestingly with Ankh's black and red outfit. But… how did he have it when he was wearing it himself?

The pieces began to fall into place as the Ankh before him clutched something in his pocket. Familiarity drowned anything Eiji could have said with that one small action. He had done that before when he had been searching for a way to restore Ankh's broken core medal, when Ankh had come from the future to help fight Poseidon. It was a guess, but was it correct?

Was Ankh…?

Eiji's fingers gripped his scarf tightly, steeling himself as he met Ankh's gaze again. It was a possible long-shot but considering the circumstances….

"You're… not my Ankh from this time, are you?" The way Ankh's eyes darted away slightly, the silent way he gulped down air to reorganize his thoughts told Eiji all he needed. But why was he here then? Did something happen to the future?

Ankh couldn't speak when Eiji figured it out. His stupid human, the useless idiot, could always be smart when needed, hell he always was smart. But it was only when he had realized that he had been clutching his tenth medal that he realized how obvious it had been he was from the future. Dryly, he inwardly chuckled at how similar it was to when he had noticed Eiji clutching his broken medal. All he could do was shake his head, gaze still unable to meet Eiji's. After all this time, all Ankh wanted to do was embrace him, to breathe in his scent and remember, yet he found himself frozen in place.

The mighty King of Bird wanted to hide away when confronted with the very thing he desired.

Ankh jerked his head back when Eiji's fingers hesitantly wiped at something on his cheek. Realization dawned on him, they were wet and his throat was unusually tight… He was crying? A shaky breath left his lips, throat heavy as emotions swirled through his eyes. Sharp hawk eyes locked onto Eiji's own, form trembling; since when was he shaking? The rider's gaze softened in concern as he tried to figure out what had happened to put this future Ankh into such a state. He never had a chance to ask when Ankh threw his arms around him, head burying into the gap between his shoulder and neck.

"Don't leave." The whisper was so soft that Eiji thought he had imagined it, shivering when hot breath spilled onto his skin. Eiji's heart shattered at the sadness, the pain, the heartbreak in that voice. Already he could feel the telltale pricks of tears threatening to fall from his own eyes. Ankh leaned heavily on the other rider, chest heaving silently as the tears fell nonstop. He hated this part of the human emotions he had learned. No matter how he tried, he couldn't get a grip on these tears, teeth clenched to prevent his voice from shaking. But the sight of Eiji was what had caused him to begin breaking down. He was before him, and god did he smell just as he remembered.

An earthy scent, with a dash of cinnamon…

He remembered… Ankh nearly began to laugh; his memory had become so similar to the humans he surrounded himself with. Funny how his time spent possessing that detective rubbed off on him. Undistorted senses hadn't been the only things he had retained from that time. Emotions were one of the things he both despised and cherished.

"Ankh…what happened?" Eiji began, only to frown and reword it when he recalled that whisper, "I mean, if you are from the future then I guess you can't tell me but… I would never leave you."

"You humans, you stupid insignificant humans…" The words would have sounded harsher if not for the fact that his tone was thick with all that pain, yet from all the time spent with the Greeed, the rider had learned how to correctly interpret his tone of voice. Ankh didn't sound angry just… frustrated, broken, and lost. Eiji nearly lost his balance as Ankh's knees buckled and carefully lowered both of them to the ground, arms gently wrapped around the avian.

"You age and die, yet medals cannot die unless broken in half." A lump formed in the rider's throat, and no amount of swallowing could relieve it. The future was safe, but that meant… He had nearly forgotten that while Greeed would never change, would never grow old, he and the rest of the humans would. How cruel was it to leave him like that?

"Why did you bring me back, just to be alone when you are gone? You idiot… " A tear slipped down Eiji's cheek before he realized it had even formed. The words were breaking him down, but he never once thought of it. It wasn't something that had ever crossed his mind. He had been so focused on knowing there was a chance to bring Ankh back that he had forgotten that once he died, there was no way to do the same. How long had Ankh suffered alone? Another tear joined the first one before a watery smile twisted his lips up.

"You know, you always called me an idiot… That was the first thing you had said when you woke up. But to hear you, to see you again…" A laugh bubbled forth from Eiji's throat, a sound that Ankh had been dying to hear again, but he couldn't bare to raise his head, not yet. He snorted though, his human nails digging into Eiji's shirt.

"You're _my_ idiot…"

" _I'm your idiot."_ The bird Greeed froze in Eiji's arms, eyes slowly opening as he registered that he had just said. So this was where Eiji had gotten that comeback from, from Ankh himself letting that slip out at this moment. His trembling muscles slowly began to relax. It wasn't like him saying that would have changed anything. Only now, thinking back, he could remember Eiji using that phrase suddenly starting a bit after this.

Ankh pushed himself away with reluctance, feeling how Eiji's fingers tense as if to not let him go before they drifted away. He had to go before he did something stupid, before he, as that stupid train owner said 'messed with the flow of time'. Ankh stood up and turned away, feeling how Eiji's eyes were boring into his back as he walked away a few feet.

" _I will only warn you once, and once only." The old man sat perfectly still in front of his rice plate, spoon held posed to carve into it. His eyes flickered up at Ankh for a split second._

" _You see this rice? Perfect, unmarred even though the train moves to and fro. However with every action taken, every word spoken… Slowly, eventually, time will take a sudden turn and will be unable to return to how it once was. In other cases like what happened before, the action taken can cause a sudden change before your eyes, leading to another timeline permanently." As Owner had spoken, he had taken a spoonful of rice away from the base of the rice platter, eating each portion until the flag fell when the spoon landed too close to it. A surprised gasp echoed throughout the cart before Owner drew back up, eyes landing back on the Greeed._

" _Let us hope you've learned your lesson from before. It was only through the memories of everyone that we were able to correct the past and future." Ankh flinched slightly in his seat, lips drawing back in a grimace. What a reminder… They – no, he – had caused the future to be changed just because of one lousy cell medal… Owner had officially barred the two from ever riding the Denliner again… Until Ankh had made his request. When explaining the situation and he wanted to do, a small visit, he had been surprised that his request was allowed._

 _Ankh could only look away from the old man, purposely ignoring the four Imagins that crowded around the table, more so the purple dragon sitting across from him with a large pink hammer. He never spoke, not even to the woman who had offered him strangely colored coffee. He felt that if he did, it would cause him to lose custody of the temporary pass he now held onto, the ticket showing the date they were heading to._

"I cannot imagine my life without you Ankh. I hope that you felt the same way." Ankh froze and turned his head to the side to observe him. Eiji's radiant smile was so bright and happy that he had to turn so he could see it better. Those words… his cores pulsed in happiness. That idiot, of course he felt the same.

The vagabond continued, hesitantly looking down as if to gather his courage before he began walking closer with newfound confidence. "Although the you I know right now might be unaware of my feelings nor understand how to respond, I never regretted spending many years of my life to bring you back. I always pictured that you were still there with me somehow, watching over me." Ankh affirmed it hesitantly with a huff, yet his eyes, which had darted away, quickly locked onto the man he loved again. Those memories were never clear, but he could always feel himself floating through an assortment of locations full of colors and shapes that never made sense even now.

"I… don't remember much of that time." Ankh admitted. "Perhaps I was trying to make sure you didn't do something stupid; you never thought about yourself. Too busy trying to reach your hand out to save others when you never cared about what happened to you." A huff exhaled out from his lips, yet the glare that had entered his eyes was fond instead of annoyed. Laughter bubbled from Eiji, the tips of his eyes crinkling upwards in a heart-warming way. So even after death the Greeed had worried about him. His present Ankh wouldn't have admitted that, yet even in the small glances he had seen when something happened and he was forced to henshin, he could tell the other had been worried. Eiji had never called it out, yet it had warmed him that the other cared.

Silence stretched forth as the laughter died down, Eiji teasing a loose thread on his scarf between two fingers. There was a question he wanted to ask, something to soothe his thoughts.

"What… Ankh what will you do now?"

The avian's eyes drifted up towards the sky and a half-formed smirk played on his lips. Slowly he held up something clutched in his right hand, a red glow emitting from it. Eiji's eyes widened, recognizing what it was. Ankh's tenth medal, the very thing that would make him disappear from this world and soar once more, invisible to the humans, as the King of the Birds. Words were useless to explain. Eiji would understand. After all, the man had created the tenth medal not too long after Ankh had been revived.

If he was correct in knowing which day this was, he had only created the medal a week or so ago before. The journal, Eiji's journal… He had re-read it so many times once he had finally gotten the courage to do so. In there had been everything, including Eiji's reluctance and hesitance in giving Ankh the medal, afraid just slightly at the small chance his avian partner would take it and fly away. The way the words conveyed how terrified Eiji was at losing him, that he didn't mean anything in Ankh's eyes had been the turning point for his past self. His foolish past self who didn't understand love, who questioned the strange feelings and urges that were happening to him yet didn't want to ask anyone about it.

He never saw how Eiji jerked back slightly as the medal continued to glow, something it only did on occasion when Ankh was nearby. It was calling to him, yearning to be reunited with the remaining nine cores at long last. Ankh always felt the haunting call, the pull to take the core and absorb it, but he resisted. Not yet, he always told it, not yet…

"That's…. You never used it? Ankh please…. At least tell me how long you've been alone." Eiji's heart was in his throat, a lump that couldn't, wouldn't, go away. Just seeing that shining medal brought back the fears that still plagued him. He had given the medal to Kougami for safekeeping, he hadn't told Ankh about it. Eventually he knew he would offer it to Ankh, but now seeing how Ankh still hadn't absorbed it…

"I've seen everyone's great-grandchildren grow into adults. Tch, they still act like fledglings, afraid of moving away and trying out their wings." It was the only answer he could come up with. To say that and hold Eiji's gaze without wanting to look away… It was difficult. It was even more so when he saw the other's face begin to fall, heavy with guilt and regret. Immediately Ankh wanted to take back the words, realizing only now why in his past Eiji would be staring off in the distance with that strange melancholic look. It was because of him. Silence once again settled down around them, leaving both to their thoughts.

"I better get back to the present you before you get too irritated about me taking so long." Even as Eiji spoke he could tell from both his body language and tone how reluctant he was. Although he still had his Ankh from the present, Eiji couldn't think of leaving this future Ankh without doing something… anything… Ankh's lips twisted upwards before he finally gave into the crooked smile; Eiji never did like leaving Ankh's side since his revival, it had been irritating at first, but eventually Ankh had grown to cherish it.

"I may get irritated, but I would never leave you. Even though I may be a bird of prey who longs to soar forever in the sky, I'm quite attached to both my nest … and those who are close to me." Hawks normally mated for life, and as the King of Birds, Ankh was no exception, it was why he had lost his way after losing Eiji, why seeing him not want to leave meant everything to him. He watched patiently as Eiji stared at him, briefly puzzled at what he meant before his eyes widened first with realization and then warmth. The avian had been referring to Eiji's fear, once again solidifying the fact that he wouldn't leave him.

"I… never knew you could be poetic." Ankh scoffed and rolled his eyes, yet his expression remained affectionate.

"Chiyoko and Hina never left me alone when they wrote poetry after you…" He halted mid-sentence, feeling as if his chest had been stabbed. Shit. Ankh's eyes widened as his lips thinned. The soft smile that had been growing on Eiji's lips died, realizing immediately what the bird had been referring to. Ankh couldn't bare to keep eye contact with the rider, eyes darting back and forth between his face and the trees behind him. Swallowing the thick lump in his throat was difficult, hating the fact that yet another tidbit from the future slipped out. He wouldn't have cared if not for the fact it was about just _who_ had died first.

After a moment of fighting back tears, Eiji approached him, closing the gap ever so slowly. The way those eyes looked deep into his own, emotions boiling forth without the need to speak. The warmth, the sadness, the love that dwelled within him. Ankh's core twinged in pain, swallowing a painful cry at the feeling. As he stopped before him, the bird could still see the dried tear stains on his skin. With no hesitation, the vagabond cupped Ankh's cheeks gently, unable to look away from the Greeed he loved.

"Ankh…" The whisper trailed off, Eiji cursing himself for not knowing what to say, what to do to apologize for leaving him. Ankh let out a silent sigh, melting from the warmth that radiated from Eiji – when did they switch roles, how did Eiji feel so warm when his own heat was gone? – and leaned against one hand.

Movement caught his sharp eyes and he never had a chance to properly react when the rider closed the gap between their lips. Warm, so warm, heat that began to reignite his cores, _burning_. It was a simple kiss, gentle and soft, eerily similar to the last kiss Eiji had given him before he passed away.

A goodbye kiss.

Before his core could shudder at the memory, he pressed back against Eiji, his arm shifting into his familiar Greed one, talons wrapping around the other's hair. His eyes slid shut, almost able to remember the feeling from so long ago. It seemed like an eternity, nearly losing himself into a foolish scenario that he hadn't died, that this Eiji was his, that everything was fine like the old days. Ankh had to pull away before this kiss became more, before he messed something up, before he could decide to say screw the rules of time and just _stay_.

The flushed cheeks and sad expression on Eiji's face wasn't overlooked, Ankh biting the inside of his cheek hard to keep from leaning back in. Human skin replaced his Greeed hand, so used to wearing this fleshy form instead of his true one. Already memories were coming back of this day, of how he froze above the bench, hand clutching his chest with an expression that was a mix between confusion, shock, and panic. The temptation to pull Eiji close was threatening to overwhelm him but he ignored it, inclining his head in the direction of his past self.

"Go ahead. I know I'm waiting." The vagabond's lips twitched upwards, gaze drifting over to stare in that direction before he remembered the almost forgotten ice candies he had in the tiny plastic bag.

"Ankh, did you want one of these to go?" Eiji held up one of the three ice candies. The Greeed simply smirked, pulling out the – surprisingly unmelted – ice candy that Chiyo had made him, the deep red color matching the brief flash of red in his eyes that soon faded away. A short chuckle slipped through his lips as he turned away.

"Good bye Eiji."

"I love you Ankh." The Greeed's shoulders hitched slightly, eyes widening at the confession. It meant a lot to hear that before leaving, before he would go forward in time and visit his grave. Before he would leave the physical world behind and reclaim his kingdom's throne, a throne that had been forcibly abandoned for almost a millennia. A smile bloomed on Ankh's lips, one that radiated like the sun. He tilted his head ever so slightly, so Eiji could see it, his cores burning within his chest.

He felt alive again.

"Tch, I love you too, idiot."


End file.
